The race, which took place on the 2,400-metre turf course at the Veliefendi Racecourse and featured 22 three-year-old thoroughbred colts, was won by the thoroughbred Dragon Flame, owned by Emrah Agung and ridden by jockey Akin Sozen, in a time of 2 hours, 28 minutes and 36 seconds, while Akin Sozen won the Gazi race for the first time in his career.
At the awards ceremony after the race, the owner of the thoroughbred horse Dragon Flame, Emra Agung, was presented with a trophy by Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Forestry and Chairman of the High Commissioner’s Council Ebu Bekir Zenginder, while the trophy for winning the race was presented to jockey Akin Zozen by Commander of the 1st Army and Istanbul Garrison Colonel General Ali Sivli and Mayor of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Ekrem Imamoglu.
Akin Sozen: I’m really happy.
Winning the Gazi race is the greatest happiness, said jockey Akkun Sozen. I’m so happy. I hope all my friends who want to experience this feeling can experience it too. It’s the height of happiness. You’re beautiful too. Thank you for coming. “Welcome,” he said.
Emrah Agung: We are very proud and very honored.
Emra Agung, owner of the thoroughbred that won the race, Dragon Flame, said they were very proud and honored. “As children of Turkey, we have always lived this dream. I would like to thank the whole team for making this happen today. We are very proud and very honored. Thank you so much for coming,” Agung said.
Congratulations from Minister Bak
Minister Dr. Osman Ashkin Baq included the following statement in his congratulatory speech:
“The thoroughbred named ‘Dragon Flame’ owned by Emra Agung and ridden by Akkun Sozen won the 98th Gazi Race, which has been held in the name of Gazi Mustafa Kemal Ataturk since 1927. We congratulate jockey Akkun Sozen and owner Emra Agung for winning the Gazi Race held at Istanbul Velieffendi Racecourse. We watched with great excitement.”
